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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. can — a tin
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rush — hurry
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. file — a line of people
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bank — for money
  15. squash — to crush
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. can — a tin
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. can — to be able to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com